This relates generally to integrated circuits, and more particularly to a CMOS compatible thermopile with a low impedance contact.
Thermoelectric devices that are fabricated as parts of integrated circuits, in which the thermoelectric elements are formed of silicon, tend to have poor performance due to higher thermal and electrical impedance through metal interconnects to the thermoelectric elements than desired. Integrating low thermal and electrical impedance metal interconnects on the thermoelectric elements into an integrated circuit containing complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors has been problematic.